3 Ways With: Serge

Wall Panels and Shutters: Serge No.9919; Walls and Woodwork: Clunch No.2009; Liberty Interiors Fabrics: Regency Tulip in Lapis

Whether it’s gracing our walls or our wardrobes, there’s nothing like classic navy to add strength and sophistication to a palette. Little wonder, then, that Serge was one of the 15 shades that captured the imagination of Liberty’s experts and found its place in our new edit, home to the most timeless of colour and print combinations.

Joa Studholme, our own colour curator, is in full agreement when it comes to Serge’s charms. “When the day is over and evening beckons, what could be more welcoming?” she says. “Serge is elegant by day and dramatic by night, and it sits perfectly between the rich dark ground of Regency Tulip and its bolder botanical print.”

Ready to bring this classic shade to life in your own home? Here are three of Joa’s favourite ways to do it.

LIVING ROOM

This palette of blues can be used in lots of different arrangements depending on how bold you’d like your living room look to be.

For a light and bright look with a contemporary twist, you could try Borrowed Light and Parma Gray on walls, grounded with a rich Serge trim. Or, if you have an alcove or chimney breast that’s crying out to be made a feature wall, try Serge there instead, with Parma Gray walls and a Borrowed Light ceiling.

ADD SOME PRINT

Upholstering a sofa or armchair with Regency Tulip in the colour Lapis keeps the colour scheme consistent while adding a statement pop of print.

KITCHEN

In colour psychology, red and yellow are said to stimulate the appetite, making them perfect candidates for a cheerful kitchen. This grown-up take on a primary colour palette starts with Sherbert Lemon walls, and can be taken as bold as you dare.

Try painting cabinets in Serge Modern Eggshell for a tough, scuff-proof finish, or keep cabinets lighter in colour and use Serge on just an island or dresser. If you have mismatched wooden chairs, a lick of Incarnadine unites them with a pop of statement colour.

ADD SOME PRINT

Cushion covers made up in Regency Tulip Lapis are a great way to add some print to your kitchen scheme, while also softening farmhouse-style benches or unupholstered kitchen chairs.

BEDROOM

Soothing greys have long been a favourite for bedrooms, and Ammonite and Purbeck Stone are among our most popular. They’re an easy-to-use pair, happily sitting together in various combinations of walls, trim, ceiling and floor and providing the perfect neutral support for a Serge-painted bed frame or wardrobe.

For an altogether effect, try Serge on the walls instead, with Ammonite on the ceiling and trim.

ADD SOME PRINT

A headboard upholstered in Regency Tulip Lapis brings richness, tactility and just a hint of complexity to this otherwise neutral scheme.